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The Year of the Dragon, that’s how. According to Adrian Wojnarowski at Yahoo! Sports, Martin’s clearance was sent from FIBA to the CBA in late January. As Andrew Robotham, a spokesman at FIBA’s headquarters in Geneva who spoke with the New York Times’ Jim Yardley over the weekend, the process was handled just like the thousands of other requests they receive each year. Like every other FIBA application, the international organization formally notified the CBA of Martin’s request. Per FIBA rule, they had seven days to respond. If there was no answer within that period, then FIBA would grant his clearance. NiuBBall.com

Los Angeles Clippers, Kenyon Martin, FIBA, China 

But with the Chinese New Year falling on January 24th this year, nobody was in the office to receive that request. Like everybody else in China, the CBA completely shut down for a about a week to go home and celebrate the country’s most important holiday with their families. While officials were on vacation, Martin’s letter sat untouched, unread and unanswered and by the time they got back from their break, the seven day period had already passed, giving FIBA the right to open Martin’s road back to the NBA. NiuBBall.com

Los Angeles Clippers, Kenyon Martin, FIBA, China 

Not surprisingly, CBA officials are upset that the letter was sent in during New Year, a move that they are deeming unethical due to what they feel was a deliberate attempt to take advantage of the Chinese holiday. Using Martin’s signed letter of commitment that was turned into the CBA when he was bought out from Xinjiang in late December, the league originally considered appealing the decision. According to a top CBA official, Gong Luming, the letter stated that Martin promised not to play in any other professional competition until after Xinjiang’s season was over. NiuBBall.com

Los Angeles Clippers, Kenyon Martin, FIBA, China 

“Who cares how [Martin's release] happened. Our team and the rest of the other teams [with NBA players] are now in a tough spot. Once this precedent is set, what can we do?” asked Ye Xiangyu, general manager of the Zhejiang Guangsha Lions, the team Wilson Chandler plays for. “There’s nothing we can do.” “About this, I can only say we are very angry,” she added. “Before the season we made a lot of preparations. We talked for a long time about all the different steps we would need to take to make this work. Now this whole thing has been blown wide open. This year our team invested a lot of money. We had big plans for this season. We spent human and material resources to make it happen. But if this is how this situation is going to be handled, we’ve spent everything for nothing.” NiuBBall.com

Los Angeles Clippers, Kenyon Martin, FIBA, Wilson Chandler, China 

At the start of today, Chandler’s team was in fourth place, seemingly a certainty to make the playoffs. His agent, Chris Luchey, told me that he learned about Martin’s letter of clearance at about 2 a.m. this morning, after getting a message on Twitter. He said he was waiting to see if the N.B.A. allowed Martin’s transfer to go through, despite the apparent protests from the Chinese league. The situation could place the N.B.A. commissioner, David Stern, in a tricky spot. “At this time, Wilson has not made any request to be released,” Luchey said. New York Times

Los Angeles Clippers, Kenyon Martin, FIBA, David Stern, China 

Sources close to the situation say that the Clippers initially wanted to make a run at shooting guard J.R. Smith as well but conceded that frontcourt depth is the bigger priority and have focused on Martin. It's the opposite approach to that taken by the Knicks, who also had interest in both ex-Nuggets but have a greater need for Smith's perimeter shooting than Martin's defensive know-how and are thus focused on trying to land Smith when he returns from China in the next month. ESPN.com

Los Angeles Clippers, Kenyon Martin, FIBA, David Stern, JR Smith, China 

Chinese Basketball Association officials are fighting FIBA’s decision to allow Kenyon Martin to immediately return to the NBA, demanding that Martin be forbidden to play until later this month, sources told Yahoo! Sports. China has forwarded an affidavit to FIBA and the NBA – signed by Martin upon his departure in late December – that stipulates he wouldn’t play in the NBA until his Xinjiang Guanghui Flying Tigers’ season had ended. China is demanding the contract be honored and Martin have to wait until the Flying Tigers finish their season. Yahoo! Sports

Free Agency, Kenyon Martin, FIBA, China 

Chinese Basketball Association officials are insisting the clearance letter request was deliberately sent to their office over the New Year when they wouldn’t be available to respond. After seven days without a response, FIBA’s guidelines allow it to issue the letter of clearance that all international leagues – including the NBA – need to validate that a player has fulfilled contractual obligations elsewhere. Yahoo! Sports

Free Agency, Kenyon Martin, FIBA, China 

“Right now, it’s a huge distraction for teams,” one international official told Yahoo! Sports. “Players are angry, want out now, and this is a huge investment that’s blowing up in the face of [Chinese] teams and owners.” Yahoo! Sports

Free Agency, Kenyon Martin, FIBA, China 

It didn’t help that Rondo’s lack of perimeter shooting was frowned upon by coach Mike Krzyzewski, and he was passed over for Rose, Deron Williams, and Chauncey Billups. But it seems odd that he won’t be given the opportunity to at least try out for the team, since he is considered among the top five NBA point guards. Asked if he would have liked the chance, Rondo said, “I just want to see how the season goes. I represent the Celtics, that’s why I’m here. It would obviously be an honor, but it’s not even in my thought process right now.’’ Boston Globe

Boston Celtics, Rajon Rondo, FIBA, USA Basketball, Team USA, Olympics 

Irving was born in Australia while his father, Drederick, was playing there professionally. Irving has dual citizenship, creating quite a dilemma for the 19-year-old. His choice of country to represent in the OIympics could have a long-term impact on his international playing career. If he plays for the Aussies, Irving would not be eligible to play for the Americans. However, suiting up for Australia is all he can do presently. "That's probably my only choice right now," he said earlier this week. "It will be a long-term decision, and I'm hoping to know in the next month or so. I'll keep you updated." ESPN.com

Cleveland Cavaliers, FIBA, Australia, Olympics, Kyrie Irving 

The No. 1 overall pick in this year's NBA draft, Irving, who is off to a fabulous start for the Cavs, said he has been in contact with officials about his playing future. "Honestly, it's going to be a process if I decide to play for Australia," he said. "A lot of things have to do with FIBA and Australian lawyers, but I'm not ruling out that possibility of playing with the Australian team. If it happens, and I play for Australia, great. But if I don't, then in 2016 I'll decide again." ESPN.com

Cleveland Cavaliers, FIBA, Australia, Olympics, Kyrie Irving 

Emiliano Carchia: Jaycee Carroll has the same agent as Nik Caner-Medley who got as well passport from Azerbaijan. Europe, where fake passports happen Twitter

FIBA, Jaycee Carroll, Nik Caner-Medley, Azerbaijan 

Ricky Rubio will decide in 15 days if he returns to Europe. Rubio keeps practicing in Los Angeles and has set a deadline in order to make a decision about his possible return to FIBA basketball. Right now, he has no offer to go back. Ricky practices five hours a day, including two shooting sessions, a game and physical drills with other NBA players like Kevin Garnett or Paul Pierce. ACB.com

Boston Celtics, Minnesota Timberwolves, Paul Pierce, FIBA, Ricky Rubio, Lockout, Kevin Garnett, Europe 

Igor Minteguia: FIBA Europe Dismisses Doping Speculation Twitter

FIBA 

Eurobasket doping tests show abnormalities in 1 macedonian and 1 spain player tests. FIBA Europe will do additional tests. Twitter

FIBA 

Speaking to French sports daily L'Equipe this week, French Basketball Federation (FFBB) President Jean-Pierre Siutat gave an idea of what the men's national team's schedule of warm-up games will be like. "The calendar has yet to be finalised, but it looks as though we will go and play Spain in early July and we have agreed on a return leg in France, in theory on 15 July," he said. "The preparations will consist of seven to nine games in France." FIBA.com

FIBA, Olympics 

If everything falls into place, Smart Gilas Pilipinas will have the Washington Wizards’ seven-foot center JaVale McGee as naturalized player for the next FIBA Asia championship. McGee had been in the country twice in the last four months and, in his last visit, expressed willingness to be part of the Philippine team vying for a slot in the 2014 World Championship. philstar.com

Washington Wizards, Javale McGee, FIBA, Philippines 

The STAR source said McGee and the Smart Gilas people have reached an agreement to pursue the same direction Marcus Douthit had gone through enabling the latter to play for the Phl team in the recent Asian joust in Tianjin, China. “If ever, we will have a taller, younger naturalized player to match up with Hamed Haddadi, Yi Jianglian and the like,” The STAR source said. philstar.com

Washington Wizards, Javale McGee, FIBA, Philippines 

The 2011 Pan-Am Games didn't go exactly as planned on Friday night as Team USA dropped a winnable game to Uruguay, but it didn't matter as the team made up of NBA Development League players have made it to the medal round regardless. The American team will play Mexico at 2 p.m. ET to determine one half of Sunday's gold medal game in Guadalajara. Team USA will more than likely once again with a starting lineup that includes Jerome Dyson and Donald Sloan in the backcourt, Renaldo Major and Leo Lyons on the wings and Greg Stiemsma manning the middle. It shouldn't surprise anyone if the bench plays a big role, though, as D-League veterans Blake Ahearn, Marcus Lewis, Lance Thomas and Justin Dentmon all played important roles in the team's two victories earlier in the tournament. Ridiculous Upside

FIBA, USA Basketball